When Doves Cry
by Avangeline Fierce
Summary: What happens when sinner meets saint and the whole world bleeds? Out of the ashes of fate a new world will rise with a red moon in the sky and gunpowder seasoning the air. Yaoi/Yuri: Alucard/Abel Seras/Esther
1. The Return of Nothing

**When Doves Cry**

**Avangeline Unula Evermore**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own either of the animes/mangas that I am writing about. They are the intellectual property of their creators, and I am thankful that they allow people like me to play with their creations. I do promise to play nice, and put them back where I got them when I'm done.

**Rating: ****Mature 16+**if you are old enough to watch/read these two stories you should be able to read this.

**Warnings: Yaoi/Yuri **I honestly don't know how strong these two will be. If the idea of a same sex couple disagrees with you, I don't suggest reading. This story involves a very **Violent Vampire, **as well as an **Angry Crusnik, **blood and death will happen, possibly **Main Character Death. **

**Summary: **Alucard/Abel; Seras/Esther: Yaoi/Yuri: What Happens when sinner meets saint and the whole world bleeds? Out of the ashes of fate a new world will rise with a red moon in the sky and gunpowder seasoning the air.

**A/N: **This story is based off the **Trinity Blood anime**, and **Hellsing: Ultimate anime **with bits of **Hellsing: The Dawn manga. **

**Chapter One**

**The Return of Nothing**

Time is a fickle thing, time is what turns saplings into trees and mountains to dust, equal parts destruction and creation make up this thing we call time. Humans capture it with hands, digits, and cogs, but never will a human understand time, a single mortal lifespan is simply not long enough to comprehend this endless procession of seconds, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, and even millennia.

A day will come when time will no longer matter, the apocalypse will arrive to wipe the slate of life clean. In the Vatican not so far in the future, merely a blink of Father Time's eyes, they face down the demons of apocalypse. Humanity is at the brink, war has driven the last of the people into the few safe havens left, technology has been lost to time, replaced with new and ever more deadly creations. Now though, however fragile, mankind will have its epic climax in a battle of blood and bone, faith and brutality. To fight fire you need ice, or maybe you just need a stronger fire…

XXXXXXXX

Father Abel Nightroad was a complicated creature, he often acted the fool, and yet his eyes spoke of a sadness so deeply embedded no mortal could truly understand its depth. His black and silver priestly robes draped across his form shapelessly, hiding the strength hidden in the slim body. He was tall, the first thing many noticed was his height crowned by a neatly tied pony tail of white blond hair. Those sad eyes were colored like the sea, at one time blue, others green or gray, but they never lost that sheen of sadness, even when he let the fool take over his actions. His skin was nearly as pale as his hair, a sharp contrast to the black robes of his station. Within the folds of his robes lay a cross and a gun, he used each when the need for them arose, but more than religion kept him from taking life, some vows are stronger than that. His appearance gave away nothing about himself that he did not want to be seen. No amount of covering could hide what he knew was lurking in his heart, he was a catholic priest with a thirst that could only be quenched by drinking blood.

The woman staring at Abel was no less complicated, garbed in the scarlet robes of a cardinal, her honey hair hung in ringlets around her proud features. She was such an imposing presence it took a few moments for the casual onlooker to notice her beauty. She owed her very life to the priest in front of her, and yet he took her orders calmly, and carried them out without true complaint. Of course he had to tease her as he did so, sometimes even she forgot the last time she smiled. Cardinal Caterina Sforza controlled the AX a group of priests and nuns trained in combat, of which Abel was a member since its founding.

At the time the two of them were in Caterina's office for a meeting concerning an AX mission that was very personal to Abel.

"Abel, we have new intelligence on Contra Mundi, he may be searching for something amongst the lost technologies. Archives have been broken into and searched, many documents have been stolen all having to do with something called the Bird of Hermes. Do you know what this might be? And why he would be searching for it?" Caterina saw what little color there was drain from Abel's face.

"Are you sure that is the only thing those documents had in common?" Abel asked seriously, wondering just what Cain was up to. His brother just didn't know how to stay dead, he kept coming back again and again.

"Yes, the archives were very well kept, that is the only topic common among the books taken." Caterina knew Abel would get around to answering her questions if she gave him some room to think.

"_The Bird of Hermes is my name, eating my wings to make me tame." _Abel recited softly with his eyes closed, and his tone left no doubt he was reciting. "You are wrong on your initial analysis, Contra Mundi is not looking for some_thing _but instead some_one._"

Caterina couldn't contain her shock at that, she had faith that Abel would never lie to her, but this was hard to accept. "Some of those books are from before Armageddon, centuries old, maybe more. How could a living being last that long? Methuselah don't and even you are not that old."

"The Bird of Hermes is the title of a very old, very powerful, vampire. His power was so great authors feared to write his name, instead they use part of an inscription found on his coffin. That was what I said earlier." Abel explained slowly. He remembered his studies as a child, reading of the Bird of Hermes, and couldn't stop the shudder. What worried him the most, was the shudder wasn't in fear. A vampire. A true vampire, made his heart pound, and thirst attacked him viciously.

Caterina caught the shudder, and not knowing the truth, mistakenly thought Abel was afraid. She grasped at what he said trying to nullify the threat. "If these authors use something written on his coffin that means this Bird of Hermes is dead right?"

Abel opened his eyes and caught her gaze. "No one knows if he is alive or dead, many of those stolen books most likely also spoke of another thing, the bird of Hermes cannot be killed by any hand other than a human. It takes a man to kill a monster. He is not a Methuselah, they are weak blooded compared to the bird. The coffin, according to legend, is lined with earth from his native soil, a restorative of sorts."

"How could books know all this, why would they be concerned about something that deadly?" Caterina was visibly shaken now, this was much worse than some lost weapon, this was a creature that even Abel was wary of.

"Rumor has it he worked with humans before, not willingly, but somehow they controlled him. Barred his power from use, and sent him to clear the world of other vampires." Abel couldn't help but think that sounded a bit familiar to him. He was here by choice yes, but the similarity wasn't lost. "I was far more curious about him than Cain ever was, I wonder what made him remember about the bird."

Caterina visibly pulled herself together, now was not the time to fall apart. "I don't care what made him remember, but if this Bird of Hermes is as strong as you are implying we can't let Contra Mundi find him. Abel do you think you can unearth this creature before the world's enemy does?"

Abel took a breath, that question wasn't easily answered. "I think I can find him first, but that doesn't mean I will be successful in keeping Cain away. He might have stolen the books as some kind of trap, knowing I would remember the Bird and warn you. I might lead Cain right to him."

"I don't think we can risk not trying to stop this before it gets started. The risk is greater if we let Contra Mundi get to the Bird unobstructed." Caterina knew the risks, but couldn't think of another option.

XXXXXXXX

The country once called England, did in fact survive the Armageddon wars, but in its survival it had changed its face into the kingdom of Albion. Allied with the Vatican, this country was powerful, and about as peaceful as a human country could get in these days of warring humans and Methuselah. The citizens there felt safe and protected not knowing the slumbering beast that lurked deep in the basement of a deserted manor.

Hellsing the blood line had dispersed, sleeping within the hearts of many, but only the direct Hellsing heir could control this slumbering creature beneath the earth. Power does a person no good, if they don't know they have it. This unknowing child would be given the reigns to the oldest creature to still walk the earth.

Abel had traced the remnants of rumor and legend to the crumbled steps of the manor. It hadn't taken as long as he feared. It was almost too easy, knowing nothing was ever that easy, the Crusnik walked warily up the steps, wondering when the axe would finally fall. The Bird of Hermes was almost in his grasp, he felt the same wonder and astonishment now that he had as a child first discovering the legend.

The manor was strong, despite years of neglect the foundations held and the damage was superficial at the most, Abel could see that when he went inside. He was expecting rubble, or at least heaps of dust, when he entered the building, but it was surprisingly clean. There was no way centuries could go by without one mark of the time passing, no, someone was here keeping up the building. Moving carefully now that he was sure he wasn't alone, he walked towards the staircase going down into the subterranean levels of the old manor. A creature allergic to sunlight could only be sure of darkness under ground.

It didn't take long for the sound of a heart beat to reach his ears, only one, and it was slowly beating, much slower than a human heart beat. Not knowing what he would find, he slowly slid his revolver from its concealed holster, and kept going. It was far too late in the game to turn back.

He was met on the lowest level by nothing he had been expecting, no preparation he made could have prepared him for this. First, he was staring down the barrel of a gun, this he could have handled on its own. Second, gun was the wrong term for the weapon he was facing, it was more of an elongated cannon. Third the person handling the weapon was most definitely female. A female with close fitting blue clothing, and short blond hair.

"The Bird of Hermes is a female?" Abel was not sexist, but every story ever written about the bird classified the vampire as male.

"You better have a good reason for being here priest," The woman snapped at him, her voice was accented, not with the Albion tongue but something else, the root of Albion's accent to be precise.

"I am here for the Bird of Hermes, the vampire of legend. I need to speak with the bird as soon as possible, lives hang in the balance." Abel phrased carefully, not knowing who he was addressing, no one had laid eyes on the Bird of Hermes since pre-Armageddon this very well could be her.

"What do you know of Master?" The woman asked sharply, and Abel understood she was not the Bird of Hermes but a servant of some kind.

"I know nothing of the creature himself, merely legends, but it is very important I speak with him even if I must forfeit my own life to do it." Abel replied cautiously, his hand gripping his revolver professionally, just as she hadn't yet lowered the huge weapon.

"Master sleeps now, he speaks to no one." The woman replied as carefully as Abel, a few millennia alone with her master had taught her a lot of things, but she never forgot something important from her youngling years. Trust your instincts. Something screamed at her that this man before her was worth the truth, and also dangerous. A part of her advised her to run as far as she could from this apparently frail human, the same part that told her to run from her Master as a matter of fact.

"When will he awaken?" Abel couldn't stop the impatience for all he knew Cain had in fact followed him here and was well on his way to waking the creature in question.

"I do not know, he doesn't awaken on any schedule, the only thing that can force him to wake is the heir to Hellsing." The woman answered.

"What if I told you that it was both of your safety that is also in danger. The same threat to humans will kill everyone here if you do not agree to join him. I can grant you protection from the Vatican itself, with myself as your escort to Rome. This truly is life or death." Abel tried to press the issue, he had come so far, was in the same building as the legend. Now he was being thwarted by nothing more than sleep.

The weapon was lowered, "I don't think you are going to understand until you see what I am talking about. Follow me, and before you ask, if I could do something about it, I would have a long time ago."

Hand still comfortably on his gun, Abel followed, wondering if maybe this wasn't the time to go for the cross. There was only one room on this level that was not a cell, and Abel was surprised when the woman, or vampire as her heartbeat suggested, walked right passed the room and to the last cell in the hall. Pulling out a key that looked to be as old as the manor around them, she unlocked the door and motioned Abel to come inside.

Abel was no fool, despite how he acted at times, he knew better than to walk into a cell in front of the person with the key to the door. He did not go inside until the woman did as well, he would have at least some warning if she tried to lock him in. Although once he saw what was inside the room all thoughts of his own safety left him.

He was staring at a corpse, or at least what looked like a corpse. The skin was dried to the point every bone was visible, and the shockingly white hair was somehow still attached to the corpse's skull. The body was dressed in black leather, a durable material that lasted, and secured to the wall with dozens of straps. The body was held in a sitting position by the straps, its head lolling forward in what would have been a painful position had they been in any shape to feel it.

"This is your master?" Abel managed to ground out.

"Yes, and he is not dead, but hasn't fed in a such a long time this is the state he is in." She answered, and Abel remembered he had yet to learn her name.

"Why can't you release him? The straps don't look thick." Abel asked.

"They are treated with something, I'm guessing a silver compound, I can't touch them without burning myself badly. I try every now and then to see if its warn off with no luck. Master says he can break them himself, but he would need the command of a Hellsing to do it." She told him.

"He can speak?" Abel was surprised at that, his withered form didn't give much credibility to that.

"To me he can, he is my Master, he made me. He can talk to any who carry his blood, and any who carry Hellsing blood." The woman explained.

"If I were to release the straps would he be free or would he still need a child of Hellsing?" Abel asked knowing he had to try.

"I do not know, it will be dangerous to be close though, if it works he is going to want to feed." She warned.

"I can take care of myself, relax, but first what is your name?" Abel finally asked as he went over to the vampire chained to the wall.

"No one can match Alucard." She warned before answering, "My name is Seras Victoria."

"I don't have to match him, just stall him until you can bring him blood, I assume you have some means of feeding without drawing attention to yourself or you would have been found a long time ago." Abel wasn't about to let all his tricks out of the bag until he needed them, if Seras had blood with her, he might not have to change at all to retrain the legendary vampire. Alucard she called him, finally a name for the legend.

"I keep medical blood on the compound, its been getting harder to find, but there is still a few packets left." Seras informed him before rushing off, presumably to wherever it was stored.

Abel had completely forgotten that if she wanted to she could lock him in the cell with Alucard without a seconds thought. There was no evidence to say she wasn't the one to bind Alucard, but something told him it would take more than one person, vampire or not, to subdue him. More likely Alucard was trapped by his human masters, who had some kind of control over him.

When Seras came back, two pint bags in hand, Abel went up to the bound Vampire and started removing restraints one by one, wondering what would happen when he got to the last one.


	2. Dragula

**When Doves Cry**

**Avangeline Unula Kestrel  
**

**Chapter Two**

**Dragula**

Alucard felt his leather prison slowly release, the easing of tension gained from 1000 years of being strapped to the wall was enough to wake him from blood soaked dreams, his awareness was sluggish with lack of nutrients, his nose hyper sensitive to the smell of blood near by. Tainted blood, human, but not from the Hellsing line. Two pulses beat in his ear, one his faithful Draculina, the other unknown to him. The unknown creature was closest, the one removing the bonds, and creature he was. A sharpness to the scent, and the slowed beat of the heart, told Alucard this was no human, but not Nosferatu either.

Whoever it was releasing his bonds was going much too slowly for his taste. The dust of ages filled his veins and he felt his withered muscles like ash in his brittle skin. His mind awake now he felt the prison of his body and fought against the darkness trying to drown him, pulling him back to his coma. A creature of darkness defeated by his own element? Oh Hell no.

The last strap fell, his body slid forward with no support, he fought his weakened body with all he had. He tried to push himself towards the source of human blood he smelled. He succeeded in pushing himself off the wall, but without the strength gained from Hellsing blood he felt himself fall forward, being caught in the stranger's arms he tried to drive his fangs in the arm next to his mouth, despite the odd smell of this one. Instead of succeeding in his attempt to feed he felt his head get pulled back with preternatural strength and a blood pack was shoved next to his mouth.

Having no choice but to suckle the blood from the bag like a babe, he felt his anger rise. This was pathetic and wrong, a human; warm and alive, should be wriggling beneath his fangs. He had no master, no leash, he should be free to drink his fill of this world. At the moment he thought he should have his fill the first blood pouch went empty. The blood was coursing into him, awakening his body cell by cell, he felt frustration. Pure Hellsing blood could awaken him fully with just a few drops, this substandard blood was no where near as powerful. The next blood pouch was shoved under his fangs before he could even think of attacking the stranger still supporting his weight. This man, no matter what he was, would die for this indignity.

The second bag did the trick his strength was coming back to him as he felt his withered muscles fill with power, his heart began to beat once more, and his hair bleed from stark white to pitch black. His eyes glowed red as he forced himself up and out of the creature's hold, heading straight for the man's neck with his fangs. He was going to rip this one apart with his hands and fangs a different kind of satisfaction than he got with his gun.

The man tried to fend him off, but pure rage fueled Alucard, he easily slid through the other man's defenses and sunk his fangs into his neck. It took one mouth full of blood to know this one was not edible, and as he spit out the wrongly flavored blood he felt a hand far stronger than any mortal's close around the back of his neck and pull him bodily off the stranger.

"That was a very bad thing to do." A voice growled at him, a deep voice with an odd accent. Alucard looked up to get the first good look at the stranger, and after all he had seen and done in his bloodied life, he was surprised to find there was still things on this Earth that shocked him. The strangers skin was a grayish-blue and his eyes glowed red, a crown of silver hair was floating above his head like it held a static charge, large black wings spread from his back, a blood red scythe was held within deadly range, and the single most extraordinary thing about this creature was the small fangs glinting dangerously against nearly black lips. Alucard knew this was no Nosferatu, the blood still staining his mouth was bitter and harsh, like drinking vinegar.

It seemed like Alucard had gotten his look at the creature an instant before the strange thing was driven back away from him by a well placed tackle from his Draculina. "What the Hell are you?" She yelled at the man, blocking his path to her master.

Abel had to forcefully regain control of himself before he could answer, the feel of the vampire's fangs in his neck had triggered the instinct to transform into his violent alter-ego, managing to keep himself restrained to just forty percent of his power. "I am a crusnik, a vampire who feeds on the blood of other vampires. If you hadn't attacked me I would still be nothing more than a humble priest on a mission from the Vatican."

A snort from the leather clad Bird of Hermes, "Crusnik? No such creature. If I didn't know those at the Vatican had no sense of humor to speak of I would say this was a joke, but since I know the truth, I do believe you are here to kill me oh Father of Lies."

"Father of Lies am I? This from the very creature whose name was so badly cursed nothing was left but an old riddle. You have slept as ashes and dust for an age and a half. The world you knew is dead, you are an antique, nothing but an old curiosity. Ask your childe here, she knows the truth of my words. You know absolutely nothing of this time, and thus nothing of me or my kind." Abel spat out. Alucard's blood, as little as there was of it, was old and powerful it made the hunger in Abel claw at his mind and heart, it shortened his temper, and stirred his animalistic side.

"You released me. Why? There are many vermin who call themselves Nosferatu, go eat one of them, or fifty." Alucard was feeling drained and weak, but not so weak he couldn't take on this blue skinned wannabe.

"I was not here to dine, only talk, it was you who attacked me." Abel pointed out, still not dropping his crusnik form. He knew better than to think Alucard couldn't hurt him even in the state he was in, ages of experience had to count for something.

"Talk? What do monsters like us have to talk about?" Alucard leaned back and crossed his arms, speaking mockingly, trying to goad the stranger into making a deadly mistake.

"The destruction of the world." Abel wasn't sure where the calmness he needed came from, but he was glad for it. "Contra Mundi, worlds enemy, has expressed interest in finding the Bird of Hermes. That is you is it not? He wishes to use you as a tool to destroy the world, and everything on it."

A slow grin spread across the master vampire's face, unnaturally wide, nothing should be able to grin that widely or show quite so many sharpened teeth. "Destruction, mayhem, and death? What more could I possibly ask for in this world. This Contra Mundi is of no consequence to me, but such an offering cannot be discarded. That would be rude of me wouldn't it?" The tone of Alucard's voice sent shivers down Abel's spine. No this was not a vampire to tangle with, but he had known that coming into this mess.

"You will not be falling into his hands. The Vatican sent me to ensure your cooperation with us rather than Contra Mundi." Abel hadn't even finished speaking before Alucard broke out in dark laughter.

"Me? Become a Vatican dog? I think not. Death and destruction sounds much better. Now I have business to attend to, you should say goodbye now." Alucard went to remove a pair of white gloves from his hands, they were in near pristine condition despite the time since their creation, the black lines on the back flared crimson and they refused to come off his hands. "Damn, it seems there is one Hellsing left alive at least."

Abel heard Alucard's statement and thought he might know a way to get Alucard to at least avoid Cain. "If there is one of your Hellsings left, they will most likely be in Albion, allies to the Vatican and I am a personal friend to their queen. I can help you find the missing heir."

"Why would I want to find the person who holds my leash?" Alucard demanded, his voice nothing but a growl.

Abel would have to gamble here. "Because you don't know how to function without a leash. Or a contract. Or orders. You want a purpose? Come with me." He was drawing on every fragment of information he had been able to gather and hoped it still applied.

Alucard could feel the blood already diminishing in his body, the hunger was growing in him, he needed to hunt and feed. Only a Hellsing could authorize killing or attacking a human. If he wanted to eat, he would need a Hellsing to order it. "Would there be war on the Vatican's part?" He growled, camouflaging the true problem.

"If Contra Mundi gets his way, there will be war everywhere." Abel replied, glad he was at least considering taking the bait.

"Draculina," Alucard addressed Seras for the first time. "Where are my guns?"

"They are safe, I was able to keep them out of other hands, you even have some bullets left." Seras answered quickly, as if used to following orders immediately and without question.

Alucard seemed to hesitate, an odd look for the vampire, before asking, "And where are they?" Somehow Abel knew they were no longer talking about guns.

Seras seemed to understand the odd question. "They are next to the men we lost when the Valentine brothers attacked. It was what they wanted."

"Alright Priest, I will follow you to your Vatican master." Alucard agreed grudgingly, at least if he did find a Hellsing still alive, he could kidnap them and get away from the church before too much time had passed. Plus it had been a very long time indeed since he was able to annoy the Vatican, he was due up for a visit.


	3. Smoke and Mirrors

**When Doves Cry**

**Avangeline Fidela-Pierce  
**

**Chapter Three**

**Smoke and Mirrors**

Abel did not release his crusnik form until Alucard had left the cell to gather his guns and find whatever object the younger vampire had told him about. He felt shame at his reaction to Alucard's attack. It should never have come down to him transforming, that instinctual response was exactly the kind of thing he had been working so hard to control ever since meeting Caterina. He did not want to be a slave to his own power anymore he owed it to Lilith to gain control of himself. There was far more to Abel Nightroad than the monster lurking in his veins. Even knowing he only transformed because Alucard struck first meant nothing, it was the fact he had no true choice in the matter.

It was with great effort that he pulled himself together enough to go find out where Seras and Alucard had gone to. It would be just his luck that immediately upon leaving the cell the two of them had fled the estate to find Cain. Abel had known of the possibility when he let them go ahead, but was pretty confidant he had caught Alucard in a bit of a bind. He was under no delusions it was his flimsy defense that made the master Nosferatu say he would come to the Vatican, no, there was deeper more compelling reason and Abel was bound and determined to find it.

When Abel finally did locate the two nosferatu, he found them in a large room in the belly of the building, it was a circular chamber with many recessed shelves built into the walls, each deep niche held elegant urns. These fancy containers of ash and bone had lost some of their luster over time, but none of their structural integrity. Even the deeply engraved name plates on the bases could still be read. A master had done the work on this tribute to death of that Abel had no doubt, however, what was confusing him was why Alucard and Seras would be there.

"I see you didn't manage to kill yourself stumbling into one of the many traps laid within the manor and grounds, Priest, maybe the Vatican will still hold some measure of amusement for me." Alucard startled Abel by speaking, the crusnik had not been expecting any acknowledgment at all, let alone such an oddly phrased comment he wasn't sure whether he was being insulted or complemented; given what he knew about Alucard, Abel was suspecting it was more the former rather than the latter.

Abel had no chance to respond to the comment before Alucard turned back to the wall of urns. There were a few he seemed to be focused on and Abel slid forward in an attempt to read the names on the containers. Walter Dolnez was the first name and the second Sir Integra Fairbrook Windgates Hellsing. These two names meant nothing to Abel, except for the Hellsing name, he wondered if these were the humans who chained Alucard.

Knowing he would get nothing from Alucard, Abel decided there was little harm in asking Seras about the names, the worst that could happen was getting no answer. "What is so important about these two people?" He asked the blond vampire.

"Sir Integra was Master to my Master, the last Hellsing heir to call on my Master's power and use him to eliminate other vampires. Walter was a Hellsing operative in his younger days and just might be the only human, Master Alucard, had any respect for that carried no Hellsing blood. Walter's code name among us was Angel of Death." Seras whispered a response to Abel, she had enough time to think and get used to the odd creature dressed in priestly robes. Alucard would never answer, just on principle, but she saw no reason not to. After all Integra and Walter had played a large part in her early life, and her Master's imprisonment.

"Angel of Death?" Another whispered name from pre-Armageddon. Not as common a reference as Bird of Hermes, but still there.

"Walter and Master fought a war together and kept the world safe from a Nazi warmonger before Sir Integra was born. Later after Sir took control of the organization there was an outbreak of FREAK vampires, ones created by humans, that was traced back to the same warmonger. If not for them fighting the human world might well have come to an end long before Armageddon." Seras had been awake to see all the changes the world had undergone. Though staying close to the mansion to faithfully watch over Alucard she still had to venture out for the life sustaining blood. She knew of the Methuselah race that had sprung up, but hadn't concerned herself with it other than disposing of the few that managed to stumble on the ancient Hellsing manor. Abel was the first creature of any sort to deliberately search for the manor in recent memory.

"Are we just going to stand here and gossip about ancient history, or shall we get on the road?" Alucard cut in before any more words could be spoken, it was apparent to Abel that thee two humans were a sore subject for the fearsome creature. Though whether that came out of fear, respect, or anger, he couldn't hazard a guess.

It did not take too much time to make arrangements with Sister Kate for the transport of Alucard's, and Seras' coffins. Abel was surprised to see that the books he had read as a child got the description of the coffin almost exactly right, but the sheer scale of the things was something to be marveled at. It was truly massive in form. Seras just had a simple coffin with no words or embellishment. Both had earth taken from their native soil trapped between the treated wood and soft lining. They were astonishing just from being so incredibly old, Alucard's especially, wooden artifacts would normally be nothing but dust.

Alucard, despite still feeling drained from his long imprisonment, decided to travel with Abel and Seras on the train to the Vatican. It had been too long since he last walked amongst the living. Besides, just because he knew that without a Hellsing's permission he couldn't hunt, the Vatican dog escorting them did not. That little tidbit of withheld information could prove to be marvelously entertaining should the trip become too dull.

During the trip toward the Vatican he found himself in state of bemusement. The world of tomorrow looked remarkably like the world he had lived in as a mortal. A little more sanitary maybe, but as far as the people were concerned they might have well been his old subjects in the time of the No Life King. The odd priest that called himself a crusnik rambled on about some massive war and the subsequent loss of many technologies. Some, such as air ships and satellites, were being studied and slowly put back to use. Alucard tuned out the priest after so long listening to him, the views from the train on the moonlit night were far more interesting.

It took them two nights to reach the Vatican. During that time Abel was driven to near insanity when a bored Alucard decided to amuse himself by terrorizing the other passengers on the train. Abel knew after that circus there was something Alucard hadn't told him. Not a single one of the passengers had been bitten. Abel was certain there was no moral reason why Alucard hadn't fed on their journey. No, he was positive there was something else.

His thoughts on Alucard's strange behavior were interrupted by their arrival in Rome. Abel had only felt this much relief at seeing his home a handful of times prior to this. He had to hold back his giddy delight and escort the two vampires to the Vatican, hopefully avoiding the Pope and Francesco's men. Caterina should have already been informed of their eminent arrival by Sister Kate. Her brothers did not need to know about these new guests until Caterina had a better grip on the situation.

He hadn't even reached the gates of AX headquarters when he knew something was just not right. The usual guards were not at their post, and the courtyard was eerily silent. One last thing hit Abel's senses and without thinking he raced towards the source, the two vampire's following hot on his heals. There was a familiar scent on the air, too familiar, and much too painful to think about.

Abel could smell human blood. Lots of human blood. The one scent overriding the rest was the one to bring Abel's dark side out to play, Caterina's blood.


	4. The Howling

**When Doves Cry**

**Avangeline Fidela Pierce  
**

**Chapter Four**

**The Howling**

Alucard watched the strange priest run towards the scent of blood, with a look to his Draculina they ran in pursuit of Abel. Alucard wondered if Abel was after the same blood trail that he was interested in himself. There was someone here that still carried a very familiar scent in their blood. Abel's trail and the blood scent were still on the same path for now so Alucard followed Abel as they rushed through the front gates and into the compound of a large cathedral. Until those two courses diverged Alucard was not forced to make a choice that would tip off Abel to his new discovery. Though a quick tug on his white glove proved the situation wasn't as good for him as it could have been, or it meant the source of the scent wasn't dead just yet.

"Master, that smell, is it the last of them?" Seras asked her question inside Alucard's head. She figured her Master would want this conversation be kept from Abel's ears, and while he didn't appear to be in any shape to eavesdrop Seras was not taking any chances.

"No," His response had been blunt and caustic, upset that his chains were still locked tight to him. At least he was free of that damned cell.

It was a good thing they hadn't settled into a long conversation as Abel had turned into a large office room, and was now slumped over a blood covered person dressed in scarlet robes. The body had been propped up in the chair, arms crossed on the table in front, with the head flopped down on it's shoulder, throat cut from ear to ear.

Alucard took a minute to assimilate the smell and deal with the fact the body dressed in Cardinal's robes was female. The scent of her blood mixed with Abel's tears was a bad combination, that scent formed the basis for some of Alucard's worst memories. Abel's tears were much like his own, as for the woman, she was a Hellsing heir. The battle that lead up to his imprisonment had involved both of those.

"It was a diversion." The deadly calm voice that hissed those words could only have come from Abel, but that was a tone they hadn't expected from the clownish priest. "I wondered why Cain was so interested in the Bird of Hermes, he was never fond of the old stories. He knew that if I even thought he might be on your trail that I would end up looking for you myself. He never intended for me to actually find you, just for me to leave this place long enough for his soldiers to carry out this massacre."

"What will you do now Priest?" Alucard spoke with a wicked smile that showed far more sharpened white teeth than was possible.

Abel knew the Nosferatu was baiting him, wanting him to fight, instead he strangled the urge to transform and go on a rampage, there were more important things to deal with than his own rage and pain at the moment. "First priority is to find out if anyone survived. Chances are they attacked her first, the AX is the best defense the Vatican has, take us out and you have a better chance of getting to the heart of the matter. Hopefully Alessandro made it out before they got to him."

"Who is that?" What human could be so important to this Crusnik that he would set aside that much rage for?

"He is the pope, but I have known him since he was a small child. It is hard for me to use proper titles when not speaking to him in a formal setting." Abel admitted as he forced his gaze away from Caterina's corpse, knowing if he didn't distract himself quickly he would lose his fight against the rampage stirring in his blood, it would be unstoppable.

"What are his chances?" Seras asked knowing her Master was holding back information from them, Alucard kept his secrets closely guarded, but it was fairly easy to see he had one in the first place.

Abel looked grim, "Not good, Alessandro is still very young and doesn't have much physical strength. If he couldn't run fast enough or find a good enough place to hide than he is dead."

Abel didn't wait for the conversation to continue as he swept out of the room on his search for survivors. Already relaying the grim news to Sister Kate aboard the airship Iron Maiden, requesting back up for himself and any possible survivors. Kate's reply was a strangled affirmative, the news driving her into auto-pilot mode as her emotions shut down for the duration of the crisis, she could break down about this later.

Abel was a bit relieved to hear that Sister Kate knew at least two AX members were out on mission, and therefore would not be added to the body count in the blood drenched Cathedral.

The blood scent was thick in the air, causing the thirst to rise in Alucard as they went from room to room finding systematically executed bodies. It wasn't until they neared Francesco's quarters and the Pope's office that they noticed any signs of a return struggle. Abel figured the assault had started with Caterina and continued on killing as silently as possible, someone must have managed to fight back enough to scream and alert Francesco's men who died much more violently than those in Caterina's section of the building.

Abel's minimal hope of finding Caterina's little brother alive was dashed when he began smelling Francesco's blood adding to the mix. The man might talk of war and battles but he rarely fought himself if he was dead so were his guards, leaving Alessandro defenseless. Though he did notice the oddity of Alucard tugging at his white gloves, the vampire Lord didn't seem the type to fidget even with all the blood scenting the air. What was wrong with the ancient Nosferatu?

"Do you smell the Pope's blood?" Seras asked Able, never having smelled Alessandro's blood before, and without knowing Caterina and him were related, she had no way of identifying his scent among the rest of the dead Priest's and guards.

Abel forced himself to calm as he smelled the air deeply, human blood did not invoke thirst but many of his friends and comrades were among the dead. His need to protect and avenge fought to wake the dangerous monster that lurked inside him. He kept moving towards the area of the building where Alessandro was at, realizing in his panic he hadn't noticed that he didn't smell the young pope's blood.

"The woman in the Cardinal's robes, does she have living family?" Alucard's question caught Abel off guard as he intently searched for any trace of Alessandro. The only reason Abel could figure out why he would care is if Caterina had been a part of the only human family the master vampire was compelled to keep track of.

"Caterina was a descendant of Hellsing wasn't she?" Alucard made no move to flinch or otherwise give away the truth of the statement, but Alucard's deadly response was proof enough.

"Just answer the question! How many are left?" He was growling with impatience at the lack of a swift answer.

"Two brothers, Francesco whom I suspect is dead from the amount of blood he has lost, and Alessandro the Pope I have been searching for. None of the three have children, and their parents were killed in a Methuselah attack when Alessandro was barely a toddler." Talking helped distract Abel from his growing stress at not finding a trace of the young man.

"So the Vatican dogs did get to her," Alucard mused lowly, now knowing he could probably find this pope before the Crusnik. That woman had been a direct heir, no doubt about it, if it was true Alessandro was the only one left than all it would take would be for him to zero in on the leash carried in the Boy's blood. Yet Alucard was in no hurry to inform the frantic Priest of this fact, he wanted to see just where this creature's limits were, and it had been a very long time since he had enjoyed a good fight with an opponent even close to his power level.

"I can't find any sign of Alessandro, which may be a good thing, hopefully he had time to escape." Abel spoke aloud despite the fact the statement was more for his own comfort than their information.

"Or they killed him without spilling blood." Alucard gleefully informed him. "This Contra Mundi of yours knows about your abilities, this could be a goof way of giving you false hope."

Abel knew Alucard delighted in pushing his buttons, and it made him even more irritable to realize it was working. "Hold your tongue!" Abel gritted out through clenched teeth.

Alucard replied with another of his bone chilling grins, "Your little pope could be dead and gone what are you gonna do about it?"

That was the last thing Abel heard before his blood ran hot in his skin, his wings erupted from his shoulders, and his eyes bled to red as he whispered the words that let the straining monster in his veins run free. Holding his blood red scythe in front of him offensively he lashed out and attacked Alucard, the only thing available for him to take his aggression out on.

Alucard threw his head back and laughed maniacally, "AHH! Now were having fun!" Drawing his well used guns from there holsters he fired off a few quick shots at the charging Crusnik, his grin only spreading as Abel dodged every one.

"I am not so easy to kill!" Abel hissed, swinging his scythe, and feeling the static charge building up in his midnight wings. His thirst awoke with a vengeance as his blade cut into the ancient vampire, the pure nearly black blood dripped down the crimson coat, alighting the fire in both monster's veins.

A rain of gunfire and the swish of the fast swings of the massive blade was the background noise as they battled fiercely, screaming insults and taunts at each other. Abel working out his rage, and Alucard having fun for the first time in millenia.

Forcing the vampire back step by step, Abel ducked below another barrage of bullets and came up under Alucard's defense, clamping his mouth to the wound he had made, drinking in as much as he could before Alucard threw him off with a growl.

Abel carefully licked his lips to not waste a drop of the crimson liquid. "You are the one who played with fire." Abel taunted as he felt his blood stream boil as Alucard's blood rushed to every cell in his body, it was like he had lava running through his veins. It was intoxicating in a way alcohol could never be.

Alucard forewent his bullets and slammed bodily into the Crusnik, they snarled and fought like a pair of wild animals, Abel's eyes glowing brighter than they had ever seen,. Alucard's hat and glasses were long gone his wild black hair and blood red eyes making him look even more like the demon he was.

"Abel stop this at once!" The voice was sharp and feminine, and just distracting enough for Abel to turn from Alucard and see Sister Kate staring at them with wide eyes, Seras standing beside her had much the same expression.

Seeing her brought Abel down from the high of drinking Alucard's blood, though a feeling a vitality lingered. "I apologize Sister Kate, I don't know what came over me." He admitted, breaking off his grappling match with the very disappointed Alucard.

"Pull yourself together, we need to focus, are there any survivors?" Sister Kate asked, she would have let Abel fight longer if she thought this creature had anything to do with the massacre, but Abel's earlier report had mentioned the two Nosferatu.

Abel took a few deep steadying breath and battled his Crusnik side into submission, allowing his human appearance to return. He realized this was possibly a mistake while Alucard was still so worked up, but it was easier to think when his monster wasn't on the surface. "None that we could locate, but Alessandro is not among the dead, and I can find no trace of him, he may still be alive."

"Than we must find him." Sister Kate ordered, pulling out her communicator to get in touch with the rest of her men, and organize a search party for Alessandro. "Abel, I have been in touch with Queen Ester as well as the Empress, there will be a meeting in Albion to discuss this attack and what to do next." She informed him after passing on the message to find the young Pope.

"Alucard if you want a rematch you should stick around, otherwise you'll just get bored." Abel enticed, knowing the offer of another fight just might make the Nosferatu stay around long enough to be of some use.

Alucard didn't reply, just gathered his hat and sunglasses from Seras who had retrieved them so they wouldn't be trampled in the fight. "Thank you my Draculina," He spoke neither caustically or complimentary, but with a lazy kind of grin that didn't reveal if he was teasing or commending her. He turned to Abel and gave a mocking bow, straightening quickly before returning to his normal relaxed pose.

Abel figured that was all the answer he was going to get, and even though he knew there had to be ulterior motives driving Alucard he couldn't help but be a bit relieved that the Nosferatu had decided to stay. He could still taste the blood lingering on his lips, and he was dying for another taste.


	5. What If

**When Doves Cry**

**Avangeline Fierce**

**Chapter Five**

**What If**

Abel was angry at himself. No, not angry, that was the wrong word, instead he was furious at his own lack of control. That was twice now Alucard had called out his inner beast without Abel's consent. He was better than that, stronger, there was no reason for him to loose it like that. He had made a promise, to never sink as low as he had gone ever again. The ruthless killer that he had been while working with Cain to end the existence of humans was always lurking just beneath the surface. With Caterina to protect and guide through life he had the grounding force needed to keep the monster mostly at bay, but now. He was lost. More so now than he had been after the death of Lilith, at least than he knew what his next move was going to be.

His treasured one was gone. His daughter in all but blood was forever out of his reach, taken long before her time. Francesco and Alessandro were different, yes he had watched them age and grow, but it had been Caterina that latched onto him, taking in all he had to teach and using it to her advantage. That was why it was her command Abel followed and not her brothers'.

He would have to find Alessandro, the last link to Caterina was still alive as far as they knew. Abel knew his brother, Cain would not waste the bargaining chip a young impressionable pope could be. Cain would use Alessandro in whatever capacity suited him best, either in trying to persuade him over to Cain's way of thinking, or by using his as bait to lure an enraged Abel right to him. Cain and Abel had fought once on equal ground, and Abel had been the victor, Cain knew unless he shifted the dynamic of the fight in his favor he would not survive another encounter like that with his brother.

"Quit brooding and join us Abel." The Empress admonished at her older brother. Not liking the look of pain and rage on Abel's normally calm face.

"I apologize Empress, where were we?" Abel forced himself back into the conversation being held in front of him between the Albion queen and the Empress. Abel knew Ion had come with his sister, but he didn't see or sense the young Methuselah in the room at the moment, but Alucard seemed to be lurking about even if Abel couldn't see where he had hidden himself this time.

"We were discussing who to send to find the pope. Abel you are the best choice, but I don't think you should go alone. If Cain has Alessandro you alone are not enough to fight both him and the bodyguards he most assuredly has already." Seth Nightlord spoke firmly, knowing anything less and Abel wouldn't listen to her, he was barely able to keep himself in check as it was. She didn't need to add more fuel to the fire.

Ester spoke up then, speaking softly but with far more confidence than she had when she had first encountered the cruznik. "Father Nightroad, who can we send with you that would help you find the pope faster rather than slow you down?" Abel knew which humans, or Methuselah for that matter, he could work best with, it would be better if he chose his own hunting party.

"No humans, there have been too many loses already. Methuselah are harder to kill in battle, but may panic if I have to transform around them. It has to be someone that knows me, not the creature, but me. Empress, I would like Ion and Asta with me if I could borrow them?" Abel seemed to be thinking hard about his next choice, staring into the shadowed corner of the room where he could feel the presence of the ancient Nosferatu. "Alucard, care to test those guns of yours out on the world's enemy?"

Of the others in the room only Seth kept her composure as the grinning visage of Alucard seemed to appear out of thin air. Abel stared down the red clad Nosferatu, "Well are you up for it? I can't promise you the slaughter you probably crave, but mayhem and destruction are distinct possibilities, and if Alessandro is dead you just may slake your bloodlust yet."

"I need bullets," Alucard demanded, which Abel correctly assumed meant he was going to come with them to look for Alessandro. "After all, the vermin in my history were always in large numbers I doubt that has changed."

"Seras as well?" Abel figured the female vampire would have a better chance of reining in Alucard than he would have without her.

"Where I go, my Draculina is bound to follow." Alucard answered for her, having no need to ask. Seras would never be far from him, she had proved that by refusing to drink from him yet again when it was offered upon his awakening.

"Wait how do we know he can be trusted? How much do you really know about him Abel?" Ester protested, not ashamed to admit the master vampire terrified her.

"You can't." Alucard responded to her inquiry with yet another of his toothy grins. "It would be foolish to trust a monster. I am curious about this matter and want to shake the rust off my weapons, beyond that I make no promises." His voice was both chilling in its intensity, but with a humorous undertone that made Ester feel like she was the butt of a joke she didn't understand.

"Ester, it won't just be him and I. I will keep him in check just as he will for me. Don't worry for me. Now Empress, about those two I asked for, may I borrow them?" Abel didn't think his sister would mind him using her as an excuse to change the subject away from Alucard. Truth was Abel was more than aware of what Ester was telling him, but he was beyond caring at this point, he needed Alucard's skill. Though a small part of him did realize that wanting to have Alucard near him wasn't just for the vampire's skill, but with every moment spent together there was a greater chance of another fight sparking. Abel wanted another taste of that tempting blood, and the look of hunger on his little sister's face told him he wasn't the only one tempted by the powerful blood flowing in his veins. Hell even Seras' scent was salivating, but Alucard had been old when she was created, his blood was the wine of all wines.

"It is up to the two of them, but they have my permission to go. Ion is here, I think you knew that, but it could take a few days to get Astharoshe here." Seth realized what Abel was doing, and allowed it. She knew her brother could handle himself, as long as he didn't get drunk off the intoxicating smell of Alucard's blood.

"Alright, send someone to get her right away. In the meantime we need to get Alucard more bullets, they're custom made, and it would be a good idea to start preparing for the aftermath if we don't manage to find Alessandro alive." Abel decided, realizing they didn't have any choice but to wait, they couldn't meet Asta on the way because there was no way of knowing where Cain had gone. They could very well be running in the wrong direction. They needed to stay and plan first before they charged blindly into the unknown.

"How are you going to find Cain once your ready to go?" Ester asked, confused on that, why weren't they sending scouts out to try and locate the trail already?

"It wont be hard, in this case, Cain wants to be found. He is using Alessandro as bait for me. I know that's what he is doing, but I can't figure out why. I don't know of anything he could gain by luring me to him." Abel's musing answer was interrupted by the Empress' snort of disbelief.

"Abel are you really that dense?" Seth teased, "There is something you have that he wants very badly."

"What is it?" He asked incredulously.

"Your blood." She responded seriously. "Think about it, all cruzniks have roughly the same amount of power, at least originally. You now have not only your own power, but Lilith's as well. He wants that, I would be willing to bet on it."

"That does make some sense," Abel admitted, "But why go about it this way? By attacking Caterina and taking Alessandro he has to know he is stirring up more than just me."

All hands turned abruptly in Alucard's direction as he let out a dark chuckle. "Who said this was all planned? The massacre was planned, but the kidnapping doesn't fit. What if this enemy of yours doesn't have your precious pope? The Vatican hadn't changed from the last time I saw it, there are many passageways and tunnels underneath the streets and buildings."

"I didn't smell a trace of him anywhere, he couldn't have gone too far could he?" Abel seemed to be arguing more with himself than protesting what Alucard had said.

"If he made it underground the smell would be deadened. Especially if he wasn't bleeding. The bodies were fairly fresh or they would have been discovered sooner, if he did indeed escape he may have been frightened to come out of hiding until he was sure it wasn't the enemy coming back. Why wasn't there a search done?" Seth demanded, getting agitated as the idea offhandedly proposed by Alucard began to make some sense.

"We were still in shock, but that's no excuse. Empress, please have Asta meet us back at the Vatican, Alucard we are going to have to rush those bullets. We have to follow up on this." Abel decided, hoping this wasn't some kind of wild goose chase.


	6. Die Another Day

**When Doves Cry**

**Avangeline Fierce**

**Chapter Six**

**Die Another Day**

Esther didn't know what to think anymore. She was sending Father Abel out on a mission she knew full well he might not come back from. He was so strong she often forgot he could die too, it would just be harder to pull off. Alucard was a big part of her fears. She had no qualms about admitting she was terrified of the Master Nosferatu. One of his signature wide grins was enough to spawn nightmares. She didn't really understand much about Abel's Crusnik side, but nothing about the kindly priest gave her much confidence that he could overpower Alucard.

She knew she was probably selling Abel's abilities short, but she couldn't help it. Abel had only produced that visceral fear when he was fighting Contra Mundi, Alucard provoked that response with a single facial expression.

"Stop thinking so much, you will only drive yourself crazy." A feminine voice broke through the beginnings of panic accosting Esther. Seras was right beside her, sneaking up on the young queen without expending a lot of effort.

Esther turned to look at the younger of the two Nosferatu, "I don't know how to stop. What do you think? Is sending those two off together a good idea?"

Seras got an odd look on her face. "I'm not sure. Though I will tell you this, I haven't seen Master so interested in someone since we fought Millennium. He will put your priest through his paces I'm sure, but as long as his curiosity holds out Alucard prefers to keep them alive. Mostly to play with them more, but alive non-the-less. Plus I have seen them fight already, I think the Crusnik can hold his own. So like I said stop thinking so much." Seras responded.

"Why do you follow him? Surely you are strong enough to get away, or you could have abandoned him in his slumber, yet you stayed. Why?" Esther knew she had just asked a very personal question, but she wanted to know what it was about Alucard that secured her loyalty.

The Draculina's eyes narrowed until Seras figured out the reasoning behind the question, if there had been any hint of disgust in the queen's voice she wouldn't have answered, but there was nothing other than curiosity so Seras finally replied, "He saved my life by killing me, he gave me the choice between dying along with the vampire he shot, or turning into this. I chose this life. He taught me well along with his own Master at the time. I have been offered the key to my freedom many times, but I won't take it. Master is the only one to ever show me that kind of stern teaching, he is strong and wise, beyond the obvious cunning and violence. In short I stay because I want to, he is my Master, and I will follow him wherever he goes."

Esther nodded in understanding, "That is similar to how I feel about Father Nightroad, he saved my soul the first time he met me. Contra Mundi had an operative in my church and I fell into one of his plans, he played me like a harp. Father Nightroad uncovered the plot, and when the fallout was over, he brought me back to Rome. Through him I gained this life, and I could never repay him. So I think I understand. I hope they make it back in one piece."

XXXXXXXXX

Alucard's bullets were finally done, the small party of rescuers were ready to leave, Asta was already in route from the Empire towards the Vatican. They would all meet up at the former headquarters of the AX. Abel was antsy as they started traveling. He needed to find Alessandro. The last link to his beloved Caterina was somewhere under the ancient city. He was beating himself up for not thinking of it sooner, the blow to his senses her death had caused made him miss such a glaringly obvious possibility.

The fool was gone. There was no trace of the clown he normally was. He was all business as they worked their way towards the young pope. He was so thoroughly focused on the goal, he didn't notice how deeply he was being watched during the journey.

Alucard kept himself amused by watching the members of his group. His Draculina never left his side, allowing her own string of unvoiced commentary to play out in his head. The young Methuselah Ion was highly entertaining for the Nosferatu. The blond was easily riled, and once he was angry Alucard would provoke him mercilessly until Ion lost all self control and made what could have been a suicidal leap towards the grinning vampire. Alucard would have been happy to put the upstart in his place, had that Crusnik not stepped in and ruined his fun.

Abel was becoming a bit of an annoyance to Alucard, not because he was loosing interest, but because he still had so many unanswered questions. Abel was too busy beating himself up over his mistake to take the bait Alucard laid out for him. The only reaction from the Crusnik came when he was defending their tiny traveling companion. Once Alucard's attention had been diverted from Ion, there would be a quick scuffle followed by Abel's refusal to fight. He had already lost control too many times around Alucard, Abel was not above using the vampire's ulterior motives against him to keep them all moving at swift pace towards the pope. Abel knew his life was not in danger until whatever it was driving Alucard had been dealt with, when that time came he may indulge himself in a good fight, but only if Alessandro was safe first.

Not long before they were expected to arrive in Rome, his creation finally decided to start asking the questions that had been swirling through her mind. She never spoke aloud, knowing her Master would be far more forthcoming with his opinions if it was only her that could hear him.

'Master that queen, she worries about this mission. She was quite the mess before we left. I had to talk her out of a panic attack. She doesn't seem to know the power her beloved priest holds. Why do you think he would leave her suffering like that?' Seras wasn't too proud to admit she was concerned about the woman. Alucard had left all traces of humanity behind, she had not, and that was why she was free while he was bound.

Alucard's lip curled up at her emotion, he still thought they were useless things, but he indulged his Draculina her weaknesses. She had taken care of him the best she could while he was bound in that dungeon. 'The Vatican dog doesn't want his Master to know she has a rabid animal on her leash, otherwise that leash will shorten." His voice was strong, always dripping with a hint of malice even when speaking telepathically.

'You keep baiting him, how long do you think it will take before he breaks and fights you?' Seras was simply curious about that, she knew Alucard was itching for a fight, and all Abel's stalling was doing was allowing his battle lust to grow.

Alucard's voice took on a lighter more teasing tone, smoothing it with the malice, making a combination that still sent shivers down Seras' spine. 'I give him until his precious pope is found. By then he will be so tightly wound he won't resist. Especially once he finds out the truth. This pope better be worth finding, a Hellsing is born to be strong, if he isn't this will be a waste.'

Seras tilted her head in confusion, 'But Master, why couldn't you teach him like you taught me? If any of the Hellsing strength is left you could bring it out and have a Master worth following again.' She knew if it was anyone else but her asking that they would already be casualties to Alucard's deadly temper.

'He must be worth teaching. I will know quickly whether I should waste my effort on him or not. Don't worry my Draculina, I will have my leash once more, and once I do this world will bleed red again. Whose blood will be decorating the ground rests in the hands of this child-pope, he will either control me, or I him. We will see whose will is stronger.' Alucard laughed in her head, the bone chilling, blood curdling sound reverberating through every part of her mind. Had she been human no force on Earth could have stopped her from running at that sound, but all she did now was bow towards her Master, and resumed her wait to see what would happen on this mission of theirs.

XXXXXXX

The fifth and last member of their search party was waiting for them at the entrance to the underground labyrinth spread beneath the city. Astharoshe Asran was a blond haired beauty with a dangerous air about her. A lock of reddish hair spilling across her forehead augmented her tough leather clad look. This was another dangerous woman to add to Alucard's list. Unlike others of his time he knew not to underestimate the fairer sex, the best Master he ever had was a woman, and his Draculina was almost as dangerous as he was if he could only get those petty emotions squashed out of her.

Now wasn't the time to get side tracked though, they were close to their goal now. A short wait, and Alucard would have all the answers he had been looking for, and possibly a good fight to wash it all down. He hadn't had this much fun in a very long time, a few centuries of nothing but sleep with dust in his veins had only enhanced the thrill this excursion promised to deliver.

"How should we go about searching? All stay together, or separate to cover more ground?" Ion asked, breaking the silence that had descended after Asta's introduction.

"We stay together," Abel decided, not needing time to think. "He won't react well if the group comes up to him is full of people he barely knows."

"Alright, let's get started." Asta agreed, moving into the tunnels.

Abel had the advantage here, he knew Alessandro's scent the best. The moment he relaxed his mind and inhaled deeply he smelt the undeniable presence of the Pope. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised, he thought as he followed the scent, the boy had been down here since the attack without spare clothes or a shower. His personal fragrance would be strong after all the stress of the attack. Abel was still kicking himself for not thinking about this possibility before.

Despite the clear trail it still took some time to find him. Alessandro had been wandering around for awhile now, his path crisscrossed itself many times, before it started getting noticeably fresher. Abel picked up his speed as they drew closer, and Alucard could feel the chains in his blood calling to the source of the path. He didn't need to smell the trail to know they were on the right track. If he hadn't wanted to enjoy seeing Abel struggle through all the twists and turns, he could have led the party directly to the boy, but he was having far too much fun with this.

'Enjoying yourself Master?" Seras' voice once again ghosted into Alucard's head.

'Oh yes, and it's only just beginning, look down that tunnel, our quarry awaits.' Alucard replied, tilting his head towards what looked like a pile of white cloth tossed onto the floor of the tunnel ahead of them.

In a few paces they drew up to the cloth and Seras could see there was a human occupying the white robes. The person looked to be asleep, if the steady rising and falling of his chest was anything to go by. Abel was calling to him, but the young boy simply squeezed his eyes shut, and curled up into a tighter ball, sheer exhaustion keeping him from waking.

Before anyone could stop him Alucard strode forward and nudged the boy with his foot, holding himself back from a full attack just to see what the kid would do. He was not expecting the reaction he got, but it caused a maniacal grin to spread across his face. The boy had sprung up from his deep sleep, a revolver clenched in his hand, firing three shots at Alucard before getting a grip on himself.

The boy first looked at the holes in Alucard his bullets had made, holes that were healing at a rapid pace, and then over to where Abel and the others stood with shocked expressions on their face. Dropping the gun like it burned him, the tears sprung from his eyes, and he flung himself ungracefully into Abel's arms; the one presence he had known from childhood and felt safe with. "What have I done? What have I done? What have I..." The boy kept repeating over and over again, bawling his eyes out.

Any respect the young pope had earned from Alucard at his instinctual actions was quickly deteriorating the longer this display went on. The boy had potential, but that mushiness was not going to have him kneeling at the boy's command until he proved himself stronger than this crying jag indicated.

"Alessandro look at me," Abel ordered, not using a gentle voice, needing to snap him out of his litany. "You did what you needed to do to keep yourself safe. It takes more than that to damage Alucard, but if that had been one of the invaders you may have saved your own life."

Alessandro lifted his tear stained face, and forced himself to listen to Abel's speech. He needed to hear that. Turning his head to look at the red-clad Nosferatu he pulled himself together to speak without shaking. "I apologize for shooting you, I hadn't slept since the attack, when you woke me I was afraid I would end up like all the others."

"Boy, you couldn't kill me with that gun," Alucard replied, using every bit of menace in his voice, and not telling him that the young human did have the power to kill him not wanting anyone to know until he found out where this boy was going to stand with him. "You shoot first and ask questions later, and don't ever bellyache over doing something that saves your own hide." Alucard finished off everyone except Seras and Abel had goosebumps coming up at his tone, but Seras knew the truth behind his words, and Abel only felt his hunger rise, no fear.

Surprisingly Alessandro just nodded, before turning back to Abel, "Father Nightroad, I would like to see the crime scene please take me to it?"

Abel looked at the young pope like he had just sprouted an extra head. "Why do you want to go back there? I would think you would want to get as far away as fast as you could."

Alessandro shook his head violently, "Maybe before all this happened. I need to see it, or it won't be real. Please take me to where those invaders murdered my family." This time it wasn't a question. It was a direct order issued from the pope to one of his Priests. Abel had no choice but to obey.

"Yes your grace." Abel replied, ducking his head in a bow to the young man he had sworn allegiance to. His submission giving Alessandro another positive check in Alucard's mind. Abel would not swear himself to a weakling, religion aside, Abel would only stand with those he knew had the drive to make things right; and Alucard knew it.

It took less time to exit the tunnels than it did to get to Alessandro so it wasn't long before they were standing in front of the AX headquarters. Having the pope with the got them through the security at the entrance, leaving them to be escorted first to where Francesco had fallen, but not before he had handed off the revolver to Alessandro telling the pope to run. Alessandro told them this while gazing at the bloodstain on the floor. In the end his brother had died protecting him, he would never forget that.

Soon they had followed the trail of blood to Caterina's office. The bright red stain spreading across her expansive desk made everything that happened click in Alessandro's mind. Instead of tears, he had already cried himself out, he found himself getting angry. Gripping the back of his sister's chair so tightly his knuckles turned white he lifted his angry eyes to the group that followed him into the room.

Saving his darkest looks for Abel and Alucard he ground out in a voice Abel had never heard from him before, gone was the shy little boy, here was the man tasked with the mantel of Pope. His anger radiated off him, finally pushed to his limit of kindness, sometimes even the church needed to get revenge. "I don't care how it is done, or how long it takes, I want whoever has done this brought to justice. Dead or alive, my family will be avenged. Will you fight for me?"

Abel sunk onto one knee, bowing his head as he spoke, "I pledged myself to you before, that will not stop now."

Alucard made another surprising move, everyone but Seras shocked when he removed the trademark glasses, handing them and his hat over to the care of his Draculina. Stepping forward, he stood at his full height, towering over the Pope, staring at him; measuring his worth with every moment they spent with their eyes locked together. Finally with a smooth graceful motion he bent at the waist until his long black hair brushed the floor, tilting his gaze upwards he spoke. "I go wherever my Master commands." Dark promises flashed in his crimson eyes.

Alessandro saw those promises, and matched them, generations of power flowing through his veins, awakening instincts that would have remained dormant had his elder siblings survived. "Rise servant, come to me." He commanded.

Alucard followed the command, sinking into a parody of Abel's kneeling bow at Alessandro's feet. Deciding to play with his new Master, Alucard forced his thoughts into the Hellsing heir's head. 'How strong a leash does my Master require?" A tempting lilt to his voice, just a hint of laughter filtering into the menacing undertone.

Alessandro kept himself from shaking as he stared down at the creature speaking in his mind. Leash? What kind of leash? Then it hit him. 'The leash is in my blood isn't it? I can think of nothing less as that is what you survive on.' Alessandro had paid attention to his lessons he knew a vampire when he saw one, even if he didn't know the specifics.

'You are almost right,' Alucard corrected, his trademark grin spreading when he realized how antsy the others were acting while they communed silently. 'It is in our blood, not just yours. If you wish to command me I must have a taste of your pure blood.' Alucard thought this boy was no Integra, but with some coaching he could come close. He would give the boy the key to power, it was up to him whether he used it or let Alucard take over.

'I won't turn?' He asked with some concern.

'If you make the wound, you will not become my ghoul, for that to happen my fangs must pierce your skin.' Alucard left it just open-ended enough that if Alessandro made a mistake his life was forfeit. That was the price of the information. He hadn't expected the move Alessandro made, throwing a bit of a wrench in his plans.

"Abel come over here, I need you." Alessandro commanded, the Crusnik at his side near instantly.

"What is it?" It hadn't taken Abel long to figure out Alucard must have been talking to the boy telepathically. Seras had said only his creations and the Hellsing bloodline could do so, it wasn't hard to figure out after Alucard's dramatic performance.

"He is asking that I give him a taste of blood to cement my control, he insists that as long as his fangs do not pierce my skin I will not become a ghoul. Can you confirm this?" Alessandro was starting to get scared, he knew what he needed to ask Abel to do, but it would put the kindly priest in danger. Yet it was the best solution he could come up with.

"What he says is true, you will not become a ghoul without direct contact with his fangs. You would still be in some danger though. Even if you make the wound he could drain you dry without much effort." Abel knew the vampire was given medical blood in Albion, but the temptation of warm living blood could be too much for the ancient midian.

Alessandro lowered his gaze for a moment, realizing he would need to ask this of Abel after all, he was the only one strong enough to deter Alucard if something went wrong. Turning to the waiting Nosferatu, he asked. "As long as the blood is mine, and the wound made by my own hand, would my blood still work if it was transferred by another person?"

Alucard had never been asked such a question. He figured with that situation it would work, and he was curious to see what the boy had come up with. "It should work." He replied with a smirk to hide his curiosity. Couldn't have the others think he was getting soft, he would lose his playthings in having to prove them wrong.

The pope turned back to the Crusnik. "Father Nightroad, I want you to bring out your other form. You will be the person to transfer my blood to the vampire. Should any problem arise, you have my permission to destroy the threat." Alessandro knew Abel wouldn't have the same problem as Alucard, Abel had no taste for human blood. Having him pass the blood in his Crusnik form was the only compromise he could come up with that didn't involve exposing a vein to a dangerous vampire.

Abel nodded, not showing Alessandro how much this idea was effecting him, because he knew there was only one way to pull off the transfer without equipment they just didn't have. Caterina wouldn't have kept needles or syringes in her office. As he let out his darker side to forty percent power, he knew what he had to do.

Alessandro was being handed a dagger by Asta, the female Methuselah always having a range of weapons of her at times when she didn't know what kind of danger they would be facing. Knowing he just wanted to get it over with, he made a quick cut on his palm, flinching slightly as the metal bit in, but not stopping until blood was flowing freely from the wound. He felt Abel approach him, extending his bleeding palm out, not sure what was going to happen.

Abel's fangs were small, but sharp, Alessandro could feel them scraping against his skin as the Crusnik suckled a mouthful of blood from the wound he had made. Despite knowing Abel had no thirst for human blood, or any desire to cause harm, the instinctual response of fang on skin caused fear to sing in his heart. He was privately glad he asked Abel to do this, if that was Alucard feasting on his blood, the terror would have been unstoppable.

Approaching Alucard, Abel waited for the Nosferatu to figure out what needed to happen. He knew he was on the edge of his control just being in the same room where Caterina had been killed, but adding this to the mix was going to put him to the test. He was afraid of what he might do.

With another smirk Alucard closed the distance between them. He found this whole situation amusing, glad he had let the boy carry out his plan. Seeing the fear in Abel's eyes and misreading it as fear of Alucard himself, he lunged at the Crusnik, clamping his mouth aggressively against the winged creature's lips to pull the mouthful of blood into his own body.

That was when the dangers of misreading Abel's fear came in. The shock of the lunge, followed by the violent assault on his mouth, had thrown what little control Abel still had out the window. Now in his true form, Abel could clearly scent the powerful blood rushing through Alucard, a blood he had a single taste of and wanted more. Keyed up from the situation, Abel didn't fight his blood lust. Sinking his fangs into Alucard's tongue as it attempted to retrieve the last drops of Alessandro's blood from his mouth. He clamped his arms tightly around Alucard, attempting to keep him in place so he could feed.

Abel managed to swallow a few mouthfuls before he was forced back, dazed from the adrenaline rush of the blood. Releasing his Crusnik form so he had a chance of regaining his sanity, he looked over to the others in the room. Every face holding the same expression of shock. He had really done it this time. It was going to take a long time to live this little control lapse down.


End file.
